Coupling device



Fell?, 1937- l c. H. MATTHIESSEN, JR 2,065,377A

I 1 COUPLING DEvcE Filed April 23. 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A T TOR/VEV Feb2 1937- c. H. MATTHIESSEN, JR 2,059,377

COUPLING DEVICE File'd April 25, 1935. i s sheets-sheet 2 lla CO AD H.MATTHIESSEN JR.

` f v1/m70@ TTORWEV Feb. 2, 1937. I c. H. MATTH1EssEN,JR 2,069,377

COUPLING DEVICE Filed April 23, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 `CONRAD H. MATHESSEN JR. i QA /Nl/f/vro? ATTO RNEV

Patented Feb. 2, 1931 CQUPLING DEVICE Conrad 1I. Matthiessen., Jr.,Pasadena, Calif..

assgnor to Meyer Coupling Companmlnc.

Application April 2:3, 1935, Serial No. 17,821 10 Claims. Cl. 285-188)Anobject of myinvention is to provide a cou` pling means adapted`tosafely convey very high longitudinalstres'ses, 'as in lifting ortraction. An objectv of my inventionis to providel a cou- Hg; plingmeans adapted Vtoconnect pipes, hose. and other iiuidconductingfchannels and which is free from the danger of leakage or ofseparation under high iiuid pressures.

An object of my invention is to provide a cou-4 10 pling means in whichthe two main sectionsof the coupling may be joined and locked by merelyinserting one sectionl into the other; in which the sections so joinedcannot be parted by pressure -or other stress except by the destructiono! u; the device, and in which the sections may be parted with ease andfacility when desired.

'I'he principles of the invention and: various modiiications of themeans by which it is given practical application are illustrated in theac- E companyingdiagrams, in which:

Figs. l and 2 are simplified longitudinal sections of' the device,showing itsessential parts and its general manner of operation:

Fig. 3 is a'longitudinal sectionjo'frfa modification 5 of the deviceadapted 'to lifting and traction;

Fig. 4 is a modication of the deviceadapte'd to coupling fluid pressuretubes;

Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are plan views of various a1- ternative forms of thecontractile `member I2 of n Fig. 1; f I

Figs. 8, 9, and 10 are longitudinal sections showing various forms whichmay be given the opposed thrust faces IS and I8 oi'Fig. 1;

Fig. 1.1 is an elevation and partial sectior1il .,-A

S lustrating a means of actuating the unlocking member I3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is anelevation illustrating an alternative actuating means;

Fig. i3 is an elevvgaticn and partial section ofna l modiiiedlformof.,the"'device particularly illustrating a'specific provision for endplay;

Fig. 14 is a plan yiewof the element 46 of Fig.

13, and Fig. 15 is a section on an enlarged scale 0f lring 46 ofl Fig.13. 1

As shown in Figs. land 2, the device has four essential parts, vizr. anouter body member I Il; an inner body member II; a contractile bearingor thrust receiving member I2, and an unlocking or counterthrust memberi3. Each of these parts may be extensively modified as to form., toadapt the device to various uses `or to iit preierred methods ofmanufacture, but these parts and these respective functions are commonto an .the -inodmcaucns herein described and claimed. I

The outer body member IU, the upper partv ot ywhich is broken away inthese figures, is provided with an annular channel Il adapted to rejceivelthe contractilemember I3 when this member is expanded.l The innerbody member II is provided with an enlarged head Il lwhich iscircumferentially beveled on its lower face II and may be tapered at itsupper end I l. The lower face of channel I lis inclined to form a faceI8 opposed to face I8. The contractile member may forgthepresent purpose-be considered to'be a ring of balls as illustrated in Fig. 6, theseballs being' urged centrally by an enclosing resilient ring I9, suitablemeans being provided for preventing the balls from falling out when thetwo body members are separated, as lwill be explained.

The unlocking member I2 may be tapered at its upper end and the'inneredge of this taper is brought inside the center line of the ballscomposing the ring, as indicated by the positions of the broken lines at2l. Member I3 is free to move in and out of the lower end of outermember lil, the extent o1' this movement being controlled by a pin 22riding in a slot 23, or by other means which will be described.

To assemble the device the inner member is inserted from below, thetaper I1 forcing the ring of balls into the position shown in Fig. 2 inwhich the enlarged head may pass between them. When the head reaches theposition shown in Fig. '1, theballs are drawn by the spring into theposition shown in that figure. Ifnow an eiort be made to withdraw theinner member,.the longitudinal' thrust is transmitted from tace I 6through balls l2 to face I8, and such withdrawal cannot be accomplishedwithfout either crushing the balls or driving them through one of theopposed faces. With proper design and materials. and within thelimitations to the form of opposing forces herein described, this lockmay be made to carry very heavy loads without damage.

So long as the longitudinal stress remains, the balls are themselvestightly locked in the position shown in Fig. 1 and the body memberscannot spontaneously separate, but the ring may readily be expanded tothe position shown in Fig. 2 by moving member I3 upwardly. The innerdiameter o f this member must be suiiicient for head I! to pass throughit. This unlocking movement is resisted by longitudinal stress and themeans by which member I3 is actuated must be designed to overcome anyexpected resistance, which may be entirely removed by removing thestress.

lit

applied adaptation to various uses, the structure of the contractilemember, the forms of the opposed faces and of the annular channel, andthe manner o! actuating the locking member.

Adaptations.-If the device is to be used for traction (e.g., as anautomatic car coupler) or for lifting weights, it may be of the generalform illustrated in Fig. 1.*orin Fig. 3, the latter showing certainmodifications4 of the shape of head I5 which permita limitedswivelingaction. In this form the head may be curved as at 2'4 and the opposedthrust faces may be curved as at Ia and IBa to permit alimited rollingmovement of the balls while under load.v

If the device is to be used for transmitting fluids under pressure, itmay be of the general form illustrated in Fig. 4. VFor this purpose afluid tight packing member or gasket must be provided, and while thisgasket may take several forms,I prefer that indicatedat 25 as a ring ofrubber or other compressible material having a. lip 26 closelysurrounding a straight projection 21 of the upper end oithe hollow innerbody member I Ia. The upper-end of the outer body member I is in theform of a gasket compression member Illa having a threaded nozzle 28,and the lower end of the inner body member may be threaded as at 29.This form of the device functions in the manner above-'describedas'regards assembling and unlocking. On assembling the projecting end 21enters .the openingin gasket 25 and vwhen fluid under pressure entersthe space 30, its pressure is to lip 26 to torce it iirmly against end2l and form a seal the tightness oiwhich increases with any increase inpressure.

contractile naemlich-It is required that this member be capableoiwithstanding a high degree of thrust between the faces I6 and I8, thatit be capable of expansion the enlarged head I to pass, and that it beadapted to automatically return from'the ex'- panded to the contractedposition when the expanding force is removed. These requirements are metby several devies, three o! which are shown in Figs.- 5 to 'l inclusive.

For the smaller sizes in particular, a' closed coiled spring of stillwire, bent into the form of a ring and with its ends joined, as shown ati2a in Figs, 4 and 5, is highly suitable.

what less than the minor outside diameter o! member II; so that it willalways return to its position between 'faces I6 and 8.

In larger sizes and for high parting stresses .(tension or fluidpressure) it may be dilcult to provide a spring ring having suiilcientrigidity in compression together with sufiicient elasticity to allow forready expansion. In such case a ring of balls may be used, asillustrated at I2b in Figs. 4 and 6, these balls being urged inwardly bya ring of hat spring steel. In Figs. 4 and 6, i219 are the balls and I9the spring ring, the ends of which should overlap sufficiently, 'as at3i, to avoid the possibility of a ball passing outside the ring whenfully expanded. member is used, the distance between the upper edge ZI!of the unlocking-member I3 (see Fig. 3) and the lower edge 32 of theupper face of channel Il should be less than the diameter of theindividual balls to prevent their yloss if the unlocking member shouldbe retracted at a time when member Il is withdrawn'irom member I0. Forthe highest stresses this design may not afford sufficient contactsurface, andfin such case the locking segments are indicated at intochannel I4 to permit y A The ring as s formed shouldhave al1-internaldiameter some- When this type of contractileitis possible to use thesplit ring of steel or bronze illustrated in Figs. 7, 8. and 9. In theseigures I2C in the contracted position to which they are brought, forexample, by the spring ring I9. Any other resilient means, as forexample the open coil springs 33, may be used to urge the segmentscentrally. Form of opposed faces and annular channel.- Referring to Fig.1, it will be seen that the thrust due to the effort of body member I Ito pass out of member IU when under load is transmitted from face I6 tothe contractile member and through it to face I8. It is evident thatthese faces should not converge inwardly to any appreciable extent assuch arrangement might cause the contractile member to slip and releasemember I I. The faces may be parallel, but preferably they shouldconverge outwardly, (for example, by about 10) in which case enough endplay should be allowed at some point (as between members I0 and I I inFig. 1 or in the compressible rings 25--35 of Figs. 8, I0, and 9) topermit the contractile member to lift face I6 as it passes laterallyover face I8.

Another form is that shown in Fig. 9, in which there is a sliding piston34 made tight against fluid leakage by a rubber or other flexible cup35. As indicated on the right side of the gure, the piston and cup moveupwardly to afford space for the contractile member, while theapplication of pressure within the body forces the cup and the pistondownwardly and firmly locks the contractile member in the closedposition. This form of the device is suitable only for use as a fluidconveying coupling In plalce of the straight tapered faces I6 and I8,one or both of these faces may be notched as shown at i8a in Fig. 10, orone or both may be curved to rit the contour oi the contractile memberas indicated at ISb and |817 of the same gure, this curved seataffording an increased' --broken or curved as indicated at Ha and i412in Fig. 4.V

In the form shown in Fig. 8, in which the segments I2C engage a fiatfaced shoulder 36, the annular channel is necessarily oi the form shownin the figure.

Actuation of counterthrust member-in the gui'es up to and including Fig.10 the counterthrust or expanding member I3 is shown as a sleeve I3tapered externally at its entering end 26 (Fig. 1) and provided with aflange 31. In fittings of small size this flange may be used as a fingerhold for forcing the tapered end of the sleeve inside the contractilemember to expand it and permit member i l to be withdrawn.

This simple device is not euiciently powerful for larger couplings andfor -these I may use any convenient type of cam, such for example asthose shown in Figs. 11 and 12. In Fig. il the sleeve i3 is part of acup il!! fitting around body member It and is actuated inwardly oroutwardly by revolving the cup, a plurality of inclined slots 39 ridingon corresponding pins lil. In Fig. 12 two pins 4I are oppositely fixedin the lower end of unlocking member I3 and two pins l2 in the lowerportion of inner body member II. A pair of cam devices may be mounted oneither body member as may be convenient, and that any other means may beused to aetuate sleeve I3, the means' described being illustrative only.

Figs. 13 and 14 show aform of the device which is particularly adaptedto the manufacture of large pipe or hose couplings. In this .form theouter body member I 0 is provided with a screwed ring 45 on which theface The opposing face I6 isorm'ed on a tubular projectionv from theinner body member II. The

contractile member is made up of a plurality of small rollers 12d whichare made from heavy walled metallic tubing retained on a ring 46 by a.wire ring 41 which is of much less diameter than the opening'throughthe rollers."

A cup shaped ring 48 of rubber or other exible packing is 'placed in thelower end of outer body member I0 and is of such height as to engage theprojecting end 21 of the inner body member. Resting on this packer is ametallic ring 49, and between rings 49 and 46 is placed a lresilientmember 50 which may be a plurality of open coil springs as shown in Fig.13, or maybe a marcel or other form of thrust spring.

The unlocking member I3 is carried on acam ring 5I which surrounds thewider part of inner bodyvmember I I, the ring and body member beingprovided with spirally disposed ribs and mating grooves 52 by which thecam ring is forced downwardly and the unlocking member caused to enterand separate the ring of rollers I2d when the handle 53 is revolved.

In this form of the device it is not necessaryv that there should be endplay 'between the two body members to permit of unlocking, as themovement vof the rollers toward the lower end of the fitting (asrepresented) which is occasioned by their passage over the tapered faceI8 is permitted by the resilient member 50. This member should be soproportioned as to be under some slight degree of compression when ring45 is firmly screwed down on body member I0, as this resilience urgesthe rollers into their retracted position and makes the locking actionpositive in any position of the fitting, while the rollers are retainedin position and prevented from passing too far toward the center by thewire ring 41. Further, because of the ability of the rollers to movelongitudinally as regards both the body members, it is possible tounlock the device while under pressure, a very useful feature inemergencies as, forI example, where it is necessary to uncouple nre hosereaching to an elevated position and which cannot be drained.

The device in its various modifications has certain very importantadvantages over similar devices of the prior art. Ofv these the chief isits absolute freedom from any danger of spontaneous or accidentalseparation while in use, together with extreme ease of assembling andunlocking.

I8 is formed.

on frictlonal resistance-fito 'prevent unlocking. Equally anunbalanced'stress, s ucli as isfproduced by pulling a hose at a sharpangle tolthe fitting j to wai-cna is attached.. while it throws thestrain on one side of the iitting. does not set. up tendency to unlock.

VThe act of assembling is the'mere longitudinal insertionof the innerinto the outer bodyimember vand is resisted only by 'the resilience ofthe thrust member itself (in-theform oi Fig; 5;). or of theretainingsprin'gs Il (of Fig. 2)'o`r l0 (ot-Fig. 13),

plus the resistance-oi.' any' flexible packing used.y

The resistance of the spring members-isil entirely negligible whilepacking resistance may be avoided by using certain of the forms showninwhich the sealing contact is eilected byninternal pressure after thefitting is assembled. In the lform' of Fig. 13, for example, a four inchcoupling may .be connected by hand, using a force materially less thanthat required to lift the weigh-tief the fltting.`

'I'he ease of unlocking is no less, the insertion of member i3 into theexpansible member acting' in such ldirection on the balls, spring orrollers that a large iitting under high internal pressure may be openedby the effort which may be exerted with one-hand. 'I'he necessity fortools to make up or unlock thedevice is thus entirely avoided.

A further advantage of the device. particularly in the forms using ballslas the thrust transmitting member, isthat the free end of the ilttingmay be revolved in the VVfixed end, even when under high pressures,permitting hose to be twisted in any direction while attached to ahydrant or fire plug. j

I claim as my invention:

1. A coupling device comprising: an outer body member having alongitudinal bore and a continuous circumferential channel surroundingsaid bore; an inner body member adapted to enter said bore and rotatabletherein, said inner member having a continuous circumferential shoulderformed'thereon, said shoulder and the lowerv wall of. said channelpresenting opposing` faces so formed as to avoid material inwardconvergence; a contractile thrust bearing member of ring-like formsurrounding said inner body member and normally positioned between saidfaces to prevent said Withdrawal, and a movable sleeve arranged torentersaid ring and to expand said bearing member into said channel to permitsaid withdrawal.

2. A device substantially as and for the purpose set forth in claim 1,in which said contractile member is in the form of a ring of coiledwire.

3. A device substantially as and for the purpose set forth in claim 1,in which said contractile member is in the form of a substantiallycontinuousA `ring of balls provided with resilient means arranged tourge said balls toward said inner body member. A

n 4. A device substantially as and for the purpose set forth in'claim 1,in which said contractile member is in the form of a ring of rollersprovided with resilient meansarranged to urge said rollers toward saidinner body member.

5. A device substantially as and for the purpose set forth in claim 1.in which said contractile member has a circular section and the upwardlooking face of said channel is arcuately curved to flt said section.

5. A device substantially as and for the purpose set forth in claim 1,in which said contractile member has a circular section and the upwardlooking face of said channel is cii'cumferentially grooved` to aiiord aplurality o! lines of'contact areapproximately perpendicular to thelongitudinal axiaof said body members when assembled. devicecomprising'; ,an

8. A tubular coupling outer body member having a longitudinalborethroughout its length and a continuous circumferential channelsurrounding said bore; an inner.

member of tubular form adapted to enterA pose 'set iorth in claim 8,including a iiuid tight,

nexible packing ring arranged to grip the end of Y said inner bodymember and to be nonleakably body said bore and rotatable therein, saidinner mem#- ber having a continuous circumferential shoulderl formedthereon, said shoulder and the lower vwall of said channel presentingopposing faces so formed as to avoid material Ainward convergence;

a contractile thrust bearing member'of ring-like form surrounding saidinner body member and normallypositioned between said faces to preventsaid withdrawal, and a movable sleeve arranged f.to-entx'emulatingandtoexpand 'said bearing 'member into said channel to permit saidwithsetfforth in claim 8, including fluid packing means-interposedbetween said body members.

`10.'A device substantially asand' for the purretained within said outerbody member.

a CONRAD H. MATI'HIESSEN, Jn.

